Massage device



. June 1l, 1957 vC. BRANDENBURG MASSAGE DEVICE' Filed July 8, 1955 INVENTOR 'Cmlobbe Bifmnhgnbum' ATTORNEY United States Patent MASSAGE DEVICE Charlotte Brandenburg, San Antonio, Tex. g Application .luly 8, 1955, Serial No. 520,638

1 Claim. (Cl. 12S-24.1)

A"This invention relates to electro-magnetic vibrators designed for use in treating the human body, and it particularly relates to vibrators which also generate heat and magnetism during the operation thereof.

The present invention is an improvement over the invention disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,157,279 to Charlotte Brandenburg, dated May 9, 1939, as well as the invention disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,167,256 to Charlotte Bergman, dated January 4, 1916.

The general construction of the present invention is similar to that of Patent No. 2,157,279, but also provides for radiation treatment of the body parts being massaged. This radiation may be in the form of infra-red rays or f ultra-violet rays, depending on the type of treatment the particular body part requires. It is also possible to provide both infra-red and ultra-violet radiation where needed. v

In view of the above, it is one object of the present invention to provide amassaging device which, at one operation, is capable of subjecting the body to mechanical vibrations, heat, magnetism and radiation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a massaging device of the above type which can be used to provide either infra-red, ultra-violet, or a combination of both types of radiation Whenever desired.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved massage device, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efficient in operation.

With the above and related objects in View, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of a vibrator embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of the device.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a constuction generally similar to that shown in the aforementioned Patent No. 2,157,279 in that it comprises a housing 10, made of suitable insulating and tire-proof material, or covered with such material. A coil 12 of resistance wire is wound on a core 14. An insulating clamping collar 16 surrounds the' coil 12 and the base 17 of this collar is supported by a metal strip 18 fastened to an insulating plate 20. A bolt 22 and nut 24 releasably clamp the collar around the coil 12.

As is more completely illustrated in the aforementioned Patent No. 2,157,279, the strip 18 is provided with a raised central portion forming in effect, a guide channel. Slidably extending through this guide channel, and supported on plate 20, is a metallic plate 26. One end of plate 26 is provided with an upstanding shoulder 28 having a lateral ange 30. Mounted on this ange 30 is an r* Icey armature 32 positioned adjacent the coil 12. At its opposite end, the plate 26 isprovided with an upstanding ilange 34. A hole is provided in this ange and through this hole extends one end of a bolt 36 which is riveted or otherwise secured thereto. The other end of the lbolt extends through a threaded bushing v38, yfixed to the housing, as well as through the housing wall itself. A screw driver may be applied to the head 40 of the bolt 38 for threadedly rotating the bolt to move it axially. The rotation of the threaded bolt acts to move the plate 26 longitudinally, thereby adjusting the armature relative to the coil. This regulates the vibrations. A plurality of magnets 42 are spaced from each other within the walls of the housing, the north and south poles of these magnets being oppositely and alternately rdisposed in -order to provide a magnetic field beyond the margins of the housing.

The housing is open at the top but is provided with a perforated plate 44 spacedfrom three sides of the housing 10 to prevent unduly rapid escape of the heat generated by coil 12, but permitting the heat to escape at a desired rate to accomplish the purpose intended. A liner 46, extending partly down along the interior surfaces of the housing wallsv also aids in maintaining the heat and magnetism within the housing.

A handle 4S preferably constructed of insulating material, is fixed to the exterior of the housing and is provided with a hollow stem 5% extending through an opening in the housing. A nut 52 threadedly holds the stem 5() in place. Wiring 54 extends through the hollow stem and is connected to an electric cable 56 which leads from a source of electrical energy to the handle. The wiring 54 is connected, at one end, to the cable 56, through a thumb switch 58 on the handle; at its other end, it is connected to the coil 12.

Simultaneously controlled by the switch 58, through wiring 6i?, is a generally rectangular ray lamp 62. This lamp, which is tubular in shape, is positioned in the housing between the coil 12 and the bafe plate 44. A separate switch 64, preferably of the push-button type, is provided for the ray tube 62. This switch 64 may be closed to energize the ray tube after the main switch 58 has been closed, the rays passing through and around the edges of perforated plate 44. If the main switch 58 is open, the tube 62 cannot be energized. This ray tube 62 may either be of the infra-red or of the ultra-violet ray type, and is supported in the housing, at one end, by the switch housing 66 and, at the opposite end, by plate 68.

In operation, the handle 48 is grasped and the vibration applied to the treatment area of the body. The switch 58 is then closed by means of the thumb of the hand holding the handle, and the vibrator is passed over the treatment area. Whenever radiation is desired, the pushbutton switch 64 is pressed to actuate the ray tube 62 on subsequent operation of the push-button, the tube is automatically deenergized.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 is substantially similar to that of Figs. l and 2 except that, instead of having one rectangular tube 26, there are provided two oppositely positioned, elongated ray tubes 70 and 72. Each of these two tubes is provided with separate push-button switches, as at 78 and Sil. A main switch 82 is provided on handle S4 similarly to the above-described embodiment. Either one of the tubes 70 and 72 may be either of the ultra-violet type or of the infra-red type, the other tube being infra-red if the lirst is ultra-violet, or ultraviolet if the other is infra-red. The operation of this device is similar to that described above except that either the ultra-violet or the infra-red tube may be energized at will. If desired, both the tubes may be simultaneously energized. It is also possible to make both tubes of the same type, either ultra-violet or infra-red. .t

Although thisinvention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention vis'to be determinedas claimed.v

Having thusset forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

An electro-magnetic vibrator comprising a housing with an open face, an armature secured inside said housing, a coil cooperating with the armature for effecting vibration of `said armature, a plate lining inside the housing and extending from the top `of `the housing to approximately midway toward the bottom thereof for heat holding and retainingipurposes,tan adjusting means secured to said armature and extending outside one wall of the housing so that the armature can be moved to and from CTI the coil to control the vibrations of the armature,`a perforated plate spaced above the said coilas a protection and to prevent too rapid escape of heat from said coil, the perforations of said plate extending in alignment along each side and one end of said plate, an elongated infra-red bulb extending between said plate and said coil parallel to said plate directly `beneath one line of side perforations; an elongated ultra-violet bulb extending parallel to said infra-red bulb between said coil and the other line of said side perforations and said coil and separate switch means at the exterior of said housing for energizing either bulb individually or both simultaneously. t

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Marty July 29, 1947 

